The Six Articles of Faith

Belief in God and in His angels

The first and most important belief is in God, called Allah in Arabic. Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews also use the word Allah for God. Muslims believe God is one, without partner, without equal, and without beginning or end. He created everything, sustains everything, and knows everything. This belief is called tawhid (the oneness of God), and every other article of faith grows from it.

The second belief is in angels. Muslims understand angels as real beings created by God who carry out His commands faithfully. They are not worshipped and they are not partners with God. They are servants.

Some angels are named in the Quran. The best known is Jibril (Gabriel), who brought revelation to the prophets. Muslims also believe that angels record each person's deeds and that some are given particular tasks in the world. Belief in angels reminds a Muslim that there is more to reality than what the eye can see.

Belief in God's books and messengers

Muslims believe that God has spoken to humanity through revealed scriptures. The Quran names several: the Tawrah (Torah) given to Moses, the Zabur (Psalms) given to David, the Injil (Gospel) given to Jesus, and the Quran given to the Prophet. It also speaks of earlier scrolls given to Abraham.

Muslims regard the Quran as the final revelation, preserved in its original Arabic. They hold that the earlier scriptures came from God in their original form, while believing that the texts which survive today are not identical to what was first revealed. Respect for the earlier books is still part of Muslim faith.

Alongside the books come the messengers. Muslims believe God sent prophets to every people, each calling them to worship the one God and to live justly. The Quran mentions many of them by name, including:

• Adam, the first human and the first prophet
• Noah (Nuh) and Abraham (Ibrahim)
• Moses (Musa) and David (Dawud)
• Jesus (Isa), honoured as a great prophet born of the virgin Mary
• Muhammad, the final messenger, often called the Seal of the Prophets

Belief in the Last Day

The fifth article is belief in the Last Day, also called the Day of Judgement. Muslims believe this world will one day come to an end, that all people will be raised to life again, and that each person will stand before God to account for how they lived.

The Quran describes this day in vivid terms, and it pairs God's perfect justice with His great mercy. Good deeds and bad deeds will be weighed, and no one will be treated unfairly. Paradise and Hell are described as real outcomes, not merely symbols.

For believers, this belief gives life a sense of direction. Small kindnesses matter, because nothing good is ever lost. Wrongdoing matters too, which encourages honesty, repentance and care for others. Many Muslims find this belief a source of comfort, especially when they see injustice in the world that is never put right in this life.

Belief in divine decree

The sixth article is belief in al-qadar, often translated as divine decree or predestination. It means that God knows all things, that nothing happens outside His knowledge and will, and that He has created everything in due measure (Quran 54:49).

This does not mean people are puppets. Mainstream Muslim teaching holds that humans make real choices and are responsible for them. How God's complete knowledge fits together with human free will is a deep question, and Muslim theologians from different schools have explained it in different ways over the centuries.

In daily life, belief in decree is often felt as trust. A believer does their best, plans carefully and works hard, then accepts the outcome with patience. Success is met with gratitude rather than pride, and hardship with patience rather than despair.

How the six beliefs fit together

The six articles are not a loose list. They form one connected picture. Belief in God comes first; the angels carry His message; the books contain it; the messengers teach and live it; the Last Day gives it consequence; and the decree reminds people that all of it rests in God's hands.

For someone new to Islam, these beliefs are a good place to begin. They answer the big questions about who made us, how we can know what is right, and where life is heading. Learning them slowly, and asking questions of a trusted teacher, is a natural first step.